Thin film transistor array

ABSTRACT

A thin film transistor array includes a substrate, scan lines, data lines, thin film transistors, upper electrodes and pixel electrodes. The scan lines and the data lines are disposed on the substrate to define pixel areas on the substrate. The thin film transistors are disposed inside corresponding pixel areas and are driven through corresponding scan line and data lines. The upper electrodes are disposed within various pixel areas above the scan lines. The upper electrode has a protrusion protruding beyond the edge of a corresponding scan line. The pixel electrode is disposed within a corresponding pixel area and electrically connected to a corresponding thin film transistor and upper electrode, wherein each pixel electrode has at least a slit formed therein, the slit has an end portion near the corresponding scan line, and the end portion is completely shielded by the protrusion of the corresponding upper electrode.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a divisional application of patent application Ser. No. 10/904,875, filed on Dec. 2, 2004, which claims the priority benefit of Taiwan patent application serial no. 93125452, filed on Aug. 26, 2004. The entirety of each of the above-mentioned patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a thin film transistor array. More particularly, the present invention relates to a thin film transistor array having storage capacitors that can be easily repaired.

2. Description of the Related Art

The rapid development of multimedia systems come about as a result of the progress in manufacturing semiconductor devices and monitors. In the past, cathode ray tube (CRT) is the principal display device in the market because of their fine display quality and moderate price. However, due to the bulkiness of CRT and the environmental concerns regarding the production of hazardous radiation and the relatively high power consumption, it has been gradually phased out and replaced by more environmentally friendly display devices with a compact, slim and light body. One such display device is the thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD). Because of the high display quality, superior spatial utilization, low power consumption and radiation free operation characteristics, TFT-LCD has become one of the mainstream products in the market.

A conventional thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) typically comprises a thin film transistor array, a color-filtering array and a liquid crystal layer. The thin film transistor array comprises an array of thin film transistors and a pixel electrode corresponding to each thin film transistor. Each thin film transistor serves as a switch for switching a liquid crystal display unit. In addition, each pixel unit is selected through a scan line and a data line. By applying a suitable operating voltage to the selected scan line and data line, a pixel data is displayed on the pixel unit. Furthermore, a portion of the pixel electrode will cover the scan line or a common line to form a storage capacitor. In the conventional technique, the most common storage capacitor can be categorized into the metal-insulator-metal (MIM) type and the metal-insulator-indium tin oxide (MII) type. The following is a more detailed description of these two types of storage capacitor structures.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional metal-insulator-metal (MIM) type storage capacitor. As shown in FIG. 1, a storage capacitor having an MIM structure is formed through coupling a scan line or common line 100 with an upper electrode 120 on top. It should be noted that the scan line or the common line 100 is electrically isolated from the upper electrode 120 through a gate insulation layer 110. Hence, the capacitance (Cst) of the storage capacitor is related to the thickness of the gate insulation layer 110. In other words, the smaller the thickness of the gate insulation layer 110, the larger will be the capacitance (Cst) of the storage capacitor. In addition the pixel electrode 140 is electrically connected to the upper electrode 120 through a contact 132 in the passivation layer 130.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional metal-insulator-ITO (MII) type storage capacitor. As shown in FIG. 2, a storage capacitor having an MII structure is formed through coupling a scan line or common line 200 with a pixel electrode 230 on top. One major difference from the MIM structure is that the scan line or common line 200 and the pixel electrode 230 in the storage capacitor having the MII structure are electrically insulated through a gate insulation layer 210 and a passivation layer 220. Hence, the capacitance (Cst) of the storage capacitor is related to the thickness of the gate insulation layer 210 and the passivation layer 220. In other words, the smaller the thickness of the gate insulation layer 210 and the passivation layer 220, the larger will be the capacitance of the storage capacitor (Cst).

In general, the capacitance (Cst) of a storage capacitor having the MIM structure is larger than the capacitance (Cst) of a storage capacitor having the MII structure. The principle reason is that the two metallic layers in the MIM structure are isolated from each other by a single gate insulation layer 110 while the two metallic layers in the MII structure are isolated from each other by a gate insulation layer 210 and a passivation layer 220.

Because the storage capacitor inside the pixel structures is used for retaining the voltage applied to various pixel units of a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD), the display panel will have a better display quality when the capacitance (Cst) of the storage capacitor is large. Therefore, conventional TFT-LCD frequently deploys storage capacitors having a MIM structure.

Although a storage capacitor having a MIM structure has a larger capacitance, the production process often produces layers having defects such as micro-particle inclusions or voids that can impair the storage capacitor and produce defective dots.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to provide a thin film transistor array such that any defective storage capacitor within the thin film transistor array can be easily repaired.

The present invention also provides a thin film transistor array. The thin film transistor array comprises a substrate, a plurality of scan lines, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of thin film transistors, a plurality of upper electrodes and a plurality of pixel electrodes. The scan lines and the data lines are disposed on the substrate to define a plurality of pixel areas on the substrate. The thin film transistors are disposed inside corresponding pixel areas and are driven through corresponding scan line and data lines. The upper electrodes are disposed within various pixel areas above the scan lines. The upper electrode has a protrusion protruding beyond the edge of a corresponding scan line. The pixel electrode is disposed within a corresponding pixel area and electrically connected to a corresponding thin film transistor and upper electrode, wherein each pixel electrode has at least a slit formed therein, the slit has an end portion near the corresponding scan line, and the end portion is completely shielded by the protrusion of the corresponding upper electrode.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the thin film transistor array further comprises a passivation layer disposed between the pixel electrodes and the upper electrodes.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the thin film transistor array further comprises a dielectric layer disposed between the upper electrodes and the scan lines.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the thin film transistor array has at least a slit in each pixel electrode located over a corresponding upper electrode and a protrusion.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pixel electrode in the thin film transistor array is fabricated using indium-tin oxide or indium-zinc oxide.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional metal-insulator-metal (MIM) type storage capacitor.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional metal-insulator-ITO (MII) type storage capacitor.

FIG. 3A is a top view showing a pixel structure having a storage capacitor according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a top view showing a thin film transistor array according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a schematic cross-sectional view along line A-A′ of the pixel structure in FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view along line B-B′ of the thin film transistor array in FIG. 3B.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 3A is a top view showing a pixel structure having a storage capacitor according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4A is a schematic cross-sectional view along line A-A′ of the pixel structure in FIG. 3A. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 4A, the present invention provides a pixel structure having a storage capacitor therein. The pixel structure comprises a first capacitor electrode 304, a capacitor dielectric layer 306, a second capacitor electrode 308, a passivation layer 314 and a pixel electrode 316. The first capacitor electrode 304 is disposed on a substrate 302. The capacitor dielectric layer 306 is disposed on the first capacitor electrode 304. The second capacitor electrode 308 is disposed on the capacitor dielectric layer 306. The second capacitor electrode 308 has a protrusion 324 protruding beyond the edge of the first capacitor electrode 304. The passivation layer 314 is disposed on the second capacitor electrode 308. The passivation layer 314 has an opening 318 that exposes the second capacitor electrode 308. The pixel electrode 316 is disposed on the passivation layer 314. The pixel electrode 316 is electrically connected to the second capacitor electrode 308 through the opening 318 in the passivation layer 314.

The pixel electrode 316 in each storage capacitor has at least a slit 322 disposed above the second capacitor electrode 308 and the protrusion 324. The pixel electrode 316 is fabricated using indium-tin oxide or indium-zinc oxide, for example.

FIG. 3B is a top view showing a thin film transistor array according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view along line B-B′ of the thin film transistor array in FIG. 3B. As shown in FIGS. 3B and 4B, the thin film transistor array 300 of the present embodiment mainly comprises a substrate 310, a plurality of scan lines 320, a plurality of data lines 330, a plurality of thin film transistors 340, a plurality of upper electrodes 350 and a plurality of pixel electrodes 360.

In FIGS. 3B and 4B, the scan lines 320 and the data lines 330 are disposed on the substrate 310 so that a plurality of pixel areas 312 are defined on the substrate 310. The thin film transistors 340 are disposed inside the pixel areas. A corresponding scan line 320 and data line 330 drive each thin film transistor 340. The upper electrodes 350 are distributed inside various pixel areas. Each upper electrode 350 is disposed above a corresponding scan line 320. The upper electrode 350 has a protrusion 352 protruding beyond the edge of the corresponding scan line 320. The pixel electrodes 360 are disposed inside various pixel areas 312 and electrically connected to a corresponding thin film transistor 340 through an opening 368. The pixel electrode is fabricated using indium-tin oxide or indium-zinc oxide, for example.

The upper electrodes 350 are disposed between a corresponding pixel electrode 360 and a scan line 320. The upper electrodes 350 are formed together with the data lines 330 and the source/drain regions, for example. It should be noted that a passivation layer 370 could also be disposed between the upper electrodes 350 and the pixel electrodes 360. Furthermore, the passivation layer 370 has an opening 362 for electrically connecting the upper electrode 350 and a corresponding pixel electrode 360 together. In addition, a dielectric layer 380 is disposed between the upper electrodes 350 and the scan lines 320 for electrically isolating the upper electrodes 350 from corresponding scan lines.

The presence of particles or voids in the layer between an upper electrodes 350 and a corresponding scan lines 320 often leads to some charge leakage. Such leakage will affect the charging/discharging characteristic of the storage capacitor so that the display quality of the liquid crystal display device may deteriorate. Under these circumstances, the present embodiment permits the execution of a laser cutting operation along a cutting line 390 for removing the pixel electrode 360 close to the cutting line 390.

In the present embodiment, the pixel electrode 360 has a slit 366 formed therein. The slit is located above the upper electrode 350 and a portion of the protrusion 352. The slit 366 is designed to facilitate and speed up the laser repair operation.

As shown in FIG. 3B, before the thin film transistor array 300 undergoes any laser repair operation, the areas close to the slit 366 are more opaque regions. These less transparent region not only lead to a drop in the opening rate, but also lead to the leakage of light and a lowering of display contrast. In the present embodiment, the upper electrode 350 and the protrusion 352 are set to cover the slit 366 so that leakage is minimized and the display contrast is improved.

It should be noted that the laser only has to cut along the cutting line 390 and remove the pixel electrode 360 close to the cutting line 390 and isolate the pixel electrode 360 from the upper electrode 350 electrically in a repair operation due to the presence of a slit 366. In other words, the upper electrode 350 and the pixel electrode 360 are coupled to form a storage capacitor having a MII structure while the original storage capacitor constructed from the scan line 320 and the upper electrode 350 no longer exists.

As shown in FIG. 4B, particles or voids may still exist in the layer between the upper electrodes 350 and the scan lines 320. To prevent the particles and voids from affecting the charging/discharging characteristics of the storage capacitor having the MII structure, the upper electrode 350 and the scan line 320 are further bonded together to produce a conductive channel 354 connecting the upper electrode 350 and the scan line 320 electrically.

In summary, major advantages of the thin film transistor array of the present invention includes:

-   -   1. The thin film transistor array can be repaired with ease and         flexibility.     -   2. Display contrast is improved because the thin film transistor         array has a relatively low leakage rate.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. 

1. A thin film transistor array, comprising: a substrate; a plurality of scan lines disposed on the substrate; a plurality of data lines disposed on the substrate, wherein the scan lines and the data lines define a plurality of pixel areas on the substrate; a plurality of thin film transistors, each being disposed within a corresponding pixel area, wherein each of the plurality of thin film transistors is driven through a corresponding scan line and data line; a plurality of upper electrodes, each being disposed within a corresponding pixel area above a corresponding scan line and having a protrusion protruding beyond one of the edges of the scan line; and a plurality of pixel electrodes, each being disposed within a corresponding pixel area and electrically connecting to a corresponding thin film transistor and upper electrode, wherein each pixel electrode has at least a slit formed therein, the slit has an end portion near the corresponding scan line, and the end portion is completely shielded by the protrusion of the corresponding upper electrode.
 2. The thin film transistor array of claim 1, further comprising a passivation layer disposed between the pixel electrodes and the upper electrodes.
 3. The thin film transistor array of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric layer disposed between the upper electrodes and the scan lines.
 4. The thin film transistor array of claim 1, wherein the pixel electrode comprises indium-tin oxide or indium-zinc oxide.
 5. The thin film transistor array of claim 1, wherein the protrusion protrudes beyond one of the edges of the pixel electrode. 